How do you pronounce "Often", ˈȯ-fən or ˈȯf-tən?

both

Okay, here we go. Change title to “9 pronunciation arguments to pass the time in MFP Chit Chat”

https://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2015/06/22/9-pronunciation-arguments-you-can-stop-having/

9 pronunciation arguments you can stop having

A pronunciation that sounds off to you is one of those things that can stop a conversation cold. Sorry, what did you say? you ask, when you already know. And while there are plenty of pronunciations out there that are flat-out wrong, we thought that we might pick out some words that have multiple accepted pronunciations. In other words, you can let the following arguments go: you’re both right!
1. Route
In US English, there are two distinct pronunciations of the word route, referring to a ‘way or course taken in getting from a starting point to a destination’. (In British English, the standard pronunciation rhymes with shoot and hoot.) For Americans, it is acceptable to pronounce the word as either rOOt or rOWt. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the latter pronunciation with a diphthong – a long vowel sound involving a transition from one vowel to another, as in words like ‘coin’ (OY) and ‘loud’ (OW) – dates back to the 18th century, but disappeared from British English during the 19th century, though it remained popular in North America.
2. Tomato
As George and Ira Gershwin’s famous ditty put it: ‘You say to-MAY-to, I say to-MAH-to’. The diverging pronunciation of tomato (though not so much potato) is primarily one of regional dialect. The pronunciation ‘tuh-MAH-toh’ is the standard pronunciation in the UK and is accepted in the US regions of New England along with parts of the lower East Coast, while ‘tuh-MAY-toh’ is found almost everywhere else.
3. Aunt
‘Do you mean your relative or the insect?’ Outside of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids! territory, that’s probably not a question anyone has ever had to answer, but the possibility seems real enough to those who defend their pronunciation of the word as ‘AHNT’ rather than ‘ANT’. Like the pronunciation of tomato ‘tuh-MAH-toh’, ‘AHNT’ is standard in southern British accents, and is accepted in New England and other parts of the East Coast, while ‘ANT’ is common through the rest of North America.
4. Surprise
Are you surprised? While the spelling of this word still requires that pesky first ‘r’, the standard North American pronunciation is without the first ‘r’. The reason behind the ‘r’ omission is a linguistic process called ‘r dissimilation’, which has occurred in several English words that have two ‘r’s in them, including governor and particular. So while you may enunciate that ‘r’ if you would like, it’s not a requirement in either British or North American English.
5. February
For those who always getting in February-pronunciation arguments, there is no doubt some relief in the fact that it’s our shortest month. The battle over FEB-roo-ary and FEB-yuh-ri is an old one; the difference between the two goes back to the linguistic process of ‘r dissimilation’ mentioned above with ‘surprise’. However, both pronunciations are accepted in North American and British English.
6. Often
To say the ‘t’ or not say the ‘t’? Even though often ranks among the most frequently used words in English, there isn’t necessarily a clear consensus on how we should be pronouncing the word. When pronouncing often, some sound the ‘t’, saying OFT-uhn; for others, it is silent, as in soften or listen . Either pronunciation is acceptable, although OFF-uhn is more common.
7. Human
Do you drop the ‘h’? Thanks to the major influence of French on the English language, there is a group of words, including hour, honest, and honor, which are pronounced without the ‘h’ at the beginning. However, there is another group of words, including human, huge, and humiliation, that are subject to some debate in terms of dropping the pronunciation of that initial ‘h: YOO-muhn instead of HYOO-muhnAlthough this pronunciation is fairly common (and accepted!) in North America, this pronunciation is not often heard in the UK.
8. Envelope
Ever had a minor skirmish about envelope while waiting in line to buy stamps? The pronunciation argument at hand has to do with the first syllable: should you say ON-vuh-lohp or EN-vuh-lohp? The former (and less common) pronunciation dates back to when the word first entered English from the French word enveloppe. The OED notes that this pseudo-French pronunciation is still frequently heard, although ‘there is no good reason for giving a foreign sound to a word which no one regards as alien, and which has been anglicized in spelling for nearly 200 years’. That said, both pronunciations are still acceptable.
9. Caramel
The word caramel can acceptably be pronounced in several accepted ways, including KARR-uh-mel, KARR-uh-muhl, and, in North American English, KAR-muhl. The disappearance of that second syllable -uh- in the final pronunciation seems to have been in the works for a long time. The word has been in English since the 18th century, which it came via French from the Spanish caramel. Order that caramel ice cream sundae however you like!
The opinions and other information contained in OxfordWords blog posts and comments do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of Oxford University Press.

peppermintpudgy wrote: »

Okay, here we go. Change title to “9 pronunciation arguments to pass the time in MFP Chit Chat”

https://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2015/06/22/9-pronunciation-arguments-you-can-stop-having/

9 pronunciation arguments you can stop having

A pronunciation that sounds off to you is one of those things that can stop a conversation cold. Sorry, what did you say? you ask, when you already know. And while there are plenty of pronunciations out there that are flat-out wrong, we thought that we might pick out some words that have multiple accepted pronunciations. In other words, you can let the following arguments go: you’re both right!
1. Route
In US English, there are two distinct pronunciations of the word route, referring to a ‘way or course taken in getting from a starting point to a destination’. (In British English, the standard pronunciation rhymes with shoot and hoot.) For Americans, it is acceptable to pronounce the word as either rOOt or rOWt. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the latter pronunciation with a diphthong – a long vowel sound involving a transition from one vowel to another, as in words like ‘coin’ (OY) and ‘loud’ (OW) – dates back to the 18th century, but disappeared from British English during the 19th century, though it remained popular in North America.
2. Tomato
As George and Ira Gershwin’s famous ditty put it: ‘You say to-MAY-to, I say to-MAH-to’. The diverging pronunciation of tomato (though not so much potato) is primarily one of regional dialect. The pronunciation ‘tuh-MAH-toh’ is the standard pronunciation in the UK and is accepted in the US regions of New England along with parts of the lower East Coast, while ‘tuh-MAY-toh’ is found almost everywhere else.
3. Aunt
‘Do you mean your relative or the insect?’ Outside of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids! territory, that’s probably not a question anyone has ever had to answer, but the possibility seems real enough to those who defend their pronunciation of the word as ‘AHNT’ rather than ‘ANT’. Like the pronunciation of tomato ‘tuh-MAH-toh’, ‘AHNT’ is standard in southern British accents, and is accepted in New England and other parts of the East Coast, while ‘ANT’ is common through the rest of North America.
4. Surprise
Are you surprised? While the spelling of this word still requires that pesky first ‘r’, the standard North American pronunciation is without the first ‘r’. The reason behind the ‘r’ omission is a linguistic process called ‘r dissimilation’, which has occurred in several English words that have two ‘r’s in them, including governor and particular. So while you may enunciate that ‘r’ if you would like, it’s not a requirement in either British or North American English.
5. February
For those who always getting in February-pronunciation arguments, there is no doubt some relief in the fact that it’s our shortest month. The battle over FEB-roo-ary and FEB-yuh-ri is an old one; the difference between the two goes back to the linguistic process of ‘r dissimilation’ mentioned above with ‘surprise’. However, both pronunciations are accepted in North American and British English.
6. Often
To say the ‘t’ or not say the ‘t’? Even though often ranks among the most frequently used words in English, there isn’t necessarily a clear consensus on how we should be pronouncing the word. When pronouncing often, some sound the ‘t’, saying OFT-uhn; for others, it is silent, as in soften or listen . Either pronunciation is acceptable, although OFF-uhn is more common.
7. Human
Do you drop the ‘h’? Thanks to the major influence of French on the English language, there is a group of words, including hour, honest, and honor, which are pronounced without the ‘h’ at the beginning. However, there is another group of words, including human, huge, and humiliation, that are subject to some debate in terms of dropping the pronunciation of that initial ‘h: YOO-muhn instead of HYOO-muhnAlthough this pronunciation is fairly common (and accepted!) in North America, this pronunciation is not often heard in the UK.
8. Envelope
Ever had a minor skirmish about envelope while waiting in line to buy stamps? The pronunciation argument at hand has to do with the first syllable: should you say ON-vuh-lohp or EN-vuh-lohp? The former (and less common) pronunciation dates back to when the word first entered English from the French word enveloppe. The OED notes that this pseudo-French pronunciation is still frequently heard, although ‘there is no good reason for giving a foreign sound to a word which no one regards as alien, and which has been anglicized in spelling for nearly 200 years’. That said, both pronunciations are still acceptable.
9. Caramel
The word caramel can acceptably be pronounced in several accepted ways, including KARR-uh-mel, KARR-uh-muhl, and, in North American English, KAR-muhl. The disappearance of that second syllable -uh- in the final pronunciation seems to have been in the works for a long time. The word has been in English since the 18th century, which it came via French from the Spanish caramel. Order that caramel ice cream sundae however you like!
The opinions and other information contained in OxfordWords blog posts and comments do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of Oxford University Press.

The more you know. I need to go to the what have you learned thread now!

cee134 wrote: »

peppermintpudgy wrote: »

Okay, here we go. Change title to “9 pronunciation arguments to pass the time in MFP Chit Chat”

https://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2015/06/22/9-pronunciation-arguments-you-can-stop-having/

9 pronunciation arguments you can stop having

A pronunciation that sounds off to you is one of those things that can stop a conversation cold. Sorry, what did you say? you ask, when you already know. And while there are plenty of pronunciations out there that are flat-out wrong, we thought that we might pick out some words that have multiple accepted pronunciations. In other words, you can let the following arguments go: you’re both right!

1. Route
In US English, there are two distinct pronunciations of the word route, referring to a ‘way or course taken in getting from a starting point to a destination’. (In British English, the standard pronunciation rhymes with shoot and hoot.) For Americans, it is acceptable to pronounce the word as either rOOt or rOWt. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the latter pronunciation with a diphthong – a long vowel sound involving a transition from one vowel to another, as in words like ‘coin’ (OY) and ‘loud’ (OW) – dates back to the 18th century, but disappeared from British English during the 19th century, though it remained popular in North America.

2. Tomato
As George and Ira Gershwin’s famous ditty put it: ‘You say to-MAY-to, I say to-MAH-to’. The diverging pronunciation of tomato (though not so much potato) is primarily one of regional dialect. The pronunciation ‘tuh-MAH-toh’ is the standard pronunciation in the UK and is accepted in the US regions of New England along with parts of the lower East Coast, while ‘tuh-MAY-toh’ is found almost everywhere else.

3. Aunt
‘Do you mean your relative or the insect?’ Outside of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids! territory, that’s probably not a question anyone has ever had to answer, but the possibility seems real enough to those who defend their pronunciation of the word as ‘AHNT’ rather than ‘ANT’. Like the pronunciation of tomato ‘tuh-MAH-toh’, ‘AHNT’ is standard in southern British accents, and is accepted in New England and other parts of the East Coast, while ‘ANT’ is common through the rest of North America.

4. Surprise
Are you surprised? While the spelling of this word still requires that pesky first ‘r’, the standard North American pronunciation is without the first ‘r’. The reason behind the ‘r’ omission is a linguistic process called ‘r dissimilation’, which has occurred in several English words that have two ‘r’s in them, including governor and particular. So while you may enunciate that ‘r’ if you would like, it’s not a requirement in either British or North American English.

5. February
For those who always getting in February-pronunciation arguments, there is no doubt some relief in the fact that it’s our shortest month. The battle over FEB-roo-ary and FEB-yuh-ri is an old one; the difference between the two goes back to the linguistic process of ‘r dissimilation’ mentioned above with ‘surprise’. However, both pronunciations are accepted in North American and British English.

6. Often
To say the ‘t’ or not say the ‘t’? Even though often ranks among the most frequently used words in English, there isn’t necessarily a clear consensus on how we should be pronouncing the word. When pronouncing often, some sound the ‘t’, saying OFT-uhn; for others, it is silent, as in soften or listen . Either pronunciation is acceptable, although OFF-uhn is more common.

7. Human
Do you drop the ‘h’? Thanks to the major influence of French on the English language, there is a group of words, including hour, honest, and honor, which are pronounced without the ‘h’ at the beginning. However, there is another group of words, including human, huge, and humiliation, that are subject to some debate in terms of dropping the pronunciation of that initial ‘h: YOO-muhn instead of HYOO-muhnAlthough this pronunciation is fairly common (and accepted!) in North America, this pronunciation is not often heard in the UK.

8. Envelope
Ever had a minor skirmish about envelope while waiting in line to buy stamps? The pronunciation argument at hand has to do with the first syllable: should you say ON-vuh-lohp or EN-vuh-lohp? The former (and less common) pronunciation dates back to when the word first entered English from the French word enveloppe. The OED notes that this pseudo-French pronunciation is still frequently heard, although ‘there is no good reason for giving a foreign sound to a word which no one regards as alien, and which has been anglicized in spelling for nearly 200 years’. That said, both pronunciations are still acceptable.

9. Caramel
The word caramel can acceptably be pronounced in several accepted ways, including KARR-uh-mel, KARR-uh-muhl, and, in North American English, KAR-muhl. The disappearance of that second syllable -uh- in the final pronunciation seems to have been in the works for a long time. The word has been in English since the 18th century, which it came via French from the Spanish caramel. Order that caramel ice cream sundae however you like!
The opinions and other information contained in OxfordWords blog posts and comments do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of Oxford University Press.

Hey..... way to ruin my next 8 threads. I saw that article after I was looking up the correct pronunciation of Often.

I was trying to find information about regional pronunciations of "often" in the US... this was as far as I got.

MeeseeksAndDestroy wrote: »

peppermintpudgy wrote: »

Please never say “YOO-muhn”

I am one Yuge Yuman

It sounds cool when you say it.

the correct way

When I was in school a hundred years ago, it was emphasized by teachers that the "t" was silent. Apparently in the last 50 years the educational system has changed that. Different dictionaries show different pronunciation so apparently all are correct. Of course when I went to school " ain't" was not an acceptable word, but now is in all dictionary

I think I say it both ways...I usually kinda slur or squish my words into shorter versions but sometimes sound them right out.
Like I say Trono, instead of Toronto

with the t

I avoid the word entirely by substituting "frequently"...in which I do pronounce the t.

So...there is an entire school of linguistics that says there is no such thing as correct or incorrect -- there is simply what people do.

Preference appears to be without the "t". Doesn't mean the other is wrong. The Cambridge Pronouncing Dictionary also says there's no evidence that the +t variant is "spelling pronunciation".

From the Longman Pronunciation Dictionary:

SomebodyWakeUpHIcks wrote: »

@MeeseeksAndDestroy

How do you say forte'?

Like, "being knowledge in sports isn't my forte'"

I can (genuinely) help with that. It’s fort-AY.

I really hate it when people pronounce 'scone' as 'biscuit' I mean seriously WTF!

I find that more irritating than people saying "s-gone" instead of "s-cone".

P.s A cookie is a type of biscuit.